(a)(1) Except as otherwise permitted by or under law, or as otherwise provided under subsection (d), no allowance, differential, bonus, award, or other similar cash payment under this title may be paid to an employee in a calendar year if, or to the extent that, when added to the total basic pay paid or payable to such employee for service performed in such calendar year as an employee in the executive branch (or as an employee outside the executive branch to whom chapter 51 applies), such payment would cause the total to exceed the annual rate of basic pay payable for level I of the Executive Schedule, as of the end of such calendar year.

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(2) This section shall not apply to any payment under—

(A) subchapter III or VII of chapter 55 or section 5596;

(B) chapter 57 (other than section 5753, 5754, 5755, or 5757); ¹ or

(C) chapter 59 (other than section 5925, 5928, 5941(a)(2), or 5948).

(b)(1) Any amount which is not paid to an employee in a calendar year because of the limitation under subsection (a) shall be paid to such employee in a lump sum at the beginning of the following calendar year.

(2) Any amount paid under this subsection in a calendar year shall be taken into account for purposes of appying ² the limitations under subsection (a) with respect to such calendar year.

(c) The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this section (subject to subsection (d)), including regulations (consistent with section 5582) concerning how a lump-sum payment under subsection (b) shall be made with respect to any employee who dies before an amount payable to such employee under subsection (b) is made.

(d)(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, subsection (a)(1) shall be applied by substituting “the total annual compensation payable to the Vice President under section 104 of title 3” for “the annual rate of basic pay payable for level I of the Executive Schedule” in the case of any employee who—

(A) is paid under section 5376 or 5383 of this title, section 332(f), 603, or 604 of title 28, or section 108 of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1991 (2 U.S.C. 1849); and

(B) holds a position in or under an agency which is described in paragraph (2).

(2) An agency described in this paragraph is any agency which, for purposes of applying the limitation in the calendar year involved, has a performance appraisal system certified under this subsection as making, in its design and application, meaningful distinctions based on relative performance.

(3)(A) The Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget jointly shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to carry out this subsection, including the criteria and procedures in accordance with which any determinations under this subsection shall be made.

(B) The certification of an agency performance appraisal system under this subsection shall be for a period not to exceed 24 months beginning on the date of certification, unless extended by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management for up to 6 additional months, except that such certification may be terminated at any time upon a finding that the actions of such agency have not remained in conformance with applicable requirements.

(C) Any certification or decertification under this subsection shall be made by the Office of Personnel Management, with the concurrence of the Office of Management and Budget.

(4) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (3), any regulations, certifications, or other measures necessary to carry out this subsection with respect to employees within the judicial branch shall be the responsibility of the Director of the Administrative Office of the United States Courts. However, the regulations under this paragraph shall be consistent with those promulgated under paragraph (3).

(5)(A) Notwithstanding any provision of paragraph (3), any regulations, certifications, or other measures necessary to carry out this subsection—

(i) with respect to employees of the Library of Congress shall be the responsibility of the Librarian of Congress;

(ii) with respect to employees of the Office of the Architect of the Capitol shall be the responsibility of the Architect of the Capitol; and

(iii) with respect to employees of the Government Publishing Office shall be the responsibility of the Director of the Government Publishing Office.

(B) The regulations under this paragraph shall be consistent with those promulgated under paragraph (3).